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Shepherds of the Blood
Summary The Shepherds are a deeply religious sect of druid warriors who roam the Planum Sangre, (Blood Vale) protecting all living travelers. They have dedicated themselves to “Protect the Blood.” Shepherds save waylaid caravans and travelers who have ventured too far into the land of the Undying. Once they take their vows, the Shepherds never leave the Blood Vale. The Shepherds forgo all wealth and human comforts, seeking only to serve the living. These warrior druids are ascetics. They do not trade. They have trained themselves to go without water and food for days, even weeks; much longer than normal men. Their weapons and tools appear ancient—passed down from warrior to warrior. What is curious is that they have been seen eating amaranth and barley, freshly hulled; as well as eating fresh dates. Where they procured them is unknown. History The Shepherds can trace their founding all the way back to the Oeld Ones. They claim to have seen the Blood Vale when it was green pasture; and using their own ways, are trying to revive the land. Society Although human, the Shepherds are exceedingly long-lived. Some Shepherds appear to be more than 80 years old, fully able to ride and fight. They speak several languages; and will speak an Oeld Tongue among themselves. All Shepherds are adults. Although some Shepherds may have had children, they only expand their ranks through recruitment. Shepherds strive to die in combat. Elder Shepherds are known to ride with seconds, men who will remove their heads before they can turn into one of the Undying. Government There is one Keeper of the Vale, the leader of all the Shepherds. He or she rules for life. The next leader is chosen by vote. The Keeper's word is obeyed without question. All Shepherds below the Keeper are considered equals. Craft These druid warriors are knowledgeable about every aspect of the Blood Vale: flora, fauna, weather, where to find safety and forage. They are exceptional warriors as well; capable of dispatching scores of Undying. The Shepherds have been observed to be able to fight undead opponents bare-handed, escaping without injury. They have some forms of magic; occasionally seen warding clots of Undying away from travelers. Shepherds have even been known to stop conflicts between groups of living beings. It does not matter if the living is an innocent child, a slave, a free man, slaver or the most despicable of criminals. They protect the living at all costs. To that end, a Shepherd, if forced, will save two living persons rather than one. If the only choice is to sacrifice someone to save a group, the Shepherd will do it. It may be himself or another; whatever saves the most living. They are pragmatic to a fault; and will amputate or kill someone who has been bitten by the undead. If a Shepherd is wounded—and cannot amputate--he will put a spike straight through his own eye, without hesitation. Warfare Shepherds wield kukra, long-handled chopping swords, capable of being used on or off a horse in one or two hands. They also use composite bows, with pitch arrows. They are experts with fire. Occasionally a Shepherd will be seen with an ancient Duaren weapon: flamkanone—or “flak” for short; a staff about the height of a man that can throw pieces of flaming metal more than 500 spans. Their preferred armor is made from “river-pig,” a subspecies of manatee found in the Blood and Tallow rivers. The hide is supple, and exceptionally resistant to puncture (bites and clawing). Since the river pig is immune to the Vale curse, some protection is thought to be afforded to the wearer as well. Shepherds do not use shields, finding them cumbersome and dangerous for fighting against Undying. The Shepherds' preferred mode of transportation is horse... undead horse. The creation of one of these mounts is a rather disturbing ritual, involving jamming fresh flesh of the Undying down the horse's throat; then killing it, with several apologetic invocations. Once completed, the Shepherd has a mount that will never thirst or tire. Also, its corpse odor covers the smell of its living rider. Shepherds have also been seen on undead camel and mules; more rarely, reindeer or moose in the North Location Shepherds of the Blood operate exclusively within the bounds of the Planum Sangre of Leviatha. They have never been seen outside of this region. Estimated Numbers No one has a clear count of the numbers of Shepherds in the Vale. They generally work alone or in pairs. The largest group ever seen amounted to 20 souls (and that was to save an entire village of refugees who had wandered into the Vale). Considering the vastness of the land, and that Shepherds have appeared throughout, they must number in the hundreds to low thousands. They do not recruit. However, men and women thought dead or wanted for high crimes, occasionally reappear as Shepherds. Known Towns They have no population centers of their own. Shepherds of the Blood are known to operate out of Ramparthos, Dreg villages and occasionally, Ferro. It is assumed that the Shepherds also have hidden encampments and caches throughout the Planum Sangre. Allies Any living being is considered an ally. Likewise, the living tend to give the Shepherds of the Blood at least grudging respect. Foes The Undying are the sworn enemy of the Shepherds of the Blood. Saheli traders, Bieterklan orks, and Liechmanfaller are also considered foes, because of their traffic in undead. However, a Shepherd is still obligated to protect the living--even them-- at all costs. Characters Comments "They are fearless. I've seen a Shepherd wade into a horde of Undying, with nothing but his faith and an old sword."--Byron Potter, Merchants' Guard "Save three lives over two. Save two lives over one. Save one life over my own." --Cant of the Shepherds "The heretics Shepherds disrupt our trade, and kill the blessed dead. We place bounties upon their heads, but no one will take them." --Imran ibn Hamad, Prince-Merchant of Kasr Maat Category:Guilds and Orders